If you're a wine lover and wish that you had more time to really shop around for just the right bottle or to find a new one that you've never tried before, you may want to seriously consider joining a wine club. Just like "book of the month" or other such clubs, wine clubs are organizations that research, select, and ship off to their members a new bottle or selection of wines once every month or so.

Wine clubs may sound like they're best for the rich and snooty, but one of the great benefits of it them is that you don't need to do the painstaking research about each bottle or vintage before you purchase it. The organizers of the wine club are no doubt true wine lovers themselves, and appreciate doing the legwork when it comes to reading up about different vineyards, years, and so on before selecting just the right wines for their members.

These are also great options for those who are just starting out in their love affair with wines, and may not know how to get started with selection, what makes a good vintage, and so on. Shipments of the selections that arrive from your wine club are usually going to have an information sheet included on why it was chosen, what makes it a superior bottle of wine, and so on. A novice can read through the information before sampling the wine so that he or she can really know what to look for when it comes to taste. This will also help familiarize someone with the many different terms that are used in connection with wine, so that he or she can better read a restaurant menu and make a selection.

If considering joining a wine club, there are a few things to keep in mind. Find one that doesn't tie you into a long-term contract. Many wine clubs operate by letting you choose how many months you'd like to continue for, and allow you to discontinue at any time without penalty or cost. You typically just get billed for the wines as they arrive, or one at a time beforehand.

A really good wine club should also give you some varieties and options as to the types of wines you're interested in. For example, suppose you're partial to just red wine or white wine, or want to have only imported German or Italian wine, or just wine from Napa Valley. Many wine clubs even have champagne clubs if you prefer the bubbly stuff!

There's no limit as to the cost of good wines, however, an average wine club will usually start at around $30 per month and go as high as $100 for wine, or higher depending on the selections.

Be sure that you understand all the "fine print" beforehand so that you don't meet up with any unexpected charges. Most members of wine clubs report being very happy with their club and many have found them to be a great way to learn about wine and sample some of the best every single month.